


The Stress Of It All

by Groot_Is_God



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, POV Multiple, Sickfic, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 16:36:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17922428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_Is_God/pseuds/Groot_Is_God
Summary: He’d fought the titan Cronus and won. He’d retrieved the golden fleece from a really stupid cyclops. He’d saved Annabeth from a manticore and even had held up the sky for a few minutes. He’d survived getting pulled into Tartarus. He’d even managed to kill the minotaur, twice.So why in Zeus’s name was he, Percy Jackson, son of the sea god, savior of Olympus, getting taken down by a stupid headache?





	1. Percy

**Author's Note:**

> I've been rereading all the Percy Jackson books and felt like finding some good sickfics but I could only find like 5 or 6. So what do I do? Write myself one. I'm not sure I entirely like how this one came out with the different perspectives but it's something I'm trying to work on.

He’d fought the titan Cronus and won. He’d retrieved the golden fleece from a really stupid cyclops. He’d saved Annabeth from a manticore and even had held up the sky for a few minutes. He’d survived getting pulled into Tartarus. He’d even managed to kill the minotaur, _twice_.

So why in Zeus’s name was he, Percy Jackson, son of the sea god, savior of Olympus, getting taken down by a stupid headache?

He knew headaches were pretty common for half-bloods. With all the enemies they encounter it was a miracle if someone didn’t get knocked in the head.

But he hadn’t gotten hit in the head recently. He wasn’t even fighting. He at the table with Annabeth, Jason, Leo, and Piper, eating food and discussing which of the gods would be best in a chariot race. Well, the others were talking while Percy stared down at the food in front of him.

The food on the Argo II was great, just like is was at camp, but today it just didn’t seem appetizing. His whole body ached with exhaustion and he had a dull pain just behind his left eye.

“Percy- “A voice called, and a hand touched his shoulder tentatively. Apparently, he had zoned out. Percy lifted his head slowly, glancing at the hand and following it back to Annabeth’s worried gaze.

“What?” Percy asked.

“Are you alright?” Annabeth was looking him over inquisitively, trying to spot any injuries that he might be hiding.

“Yeah.” Percy murmured, staring down at his plate again. He could feel the other’s eyes on him but opted to ignore it, instead wallowing in whatever weirdness he was feeling.

“You sure man? You’re looking pretty pale.” Leo said cautiously.

Wow, he must look really bad if even Leo was worried about him. But before he could answer the alarm went off and Hazel’s voice came over the intercom, calling everyone to the deck.

…

This time it was some oversized bird creatures attacking the back of the ship. Annabeth was yelling their name and how they were defeated in the myths, but Percy wasn’t listening. The dull pain had been replaced by a throbbing pain, as if there was a little hammer banging steadily against his eye.

All he wanted to do was curl up in a ball, right there on the deck, and not move. But that wasn’t an option. Jason and Frank were doing their best to steer the birds away from the ship while Leo ran around the deck preparing them for traveling on the water.

Percy stared out into the distance, gripping the railing of the ship tightly. The birds had busted a few of their oars and the boat was rocking, as if it was traveling over tough waves. Typically, this wouldn’t have bothered him, but he was dizzy and lightheaded. His stomach rolled forebodingly.

“Leo, we need to get in the water _now_!” Jason yelled, landing back on deck. The ship tipped menacingly, as if it was agreeing.

“Kinda busy at the moment!” Leo yelled, dodging around Annabeth as he tried to repair some of the systems.

Frank landed on the deck and transformed back into himself. “We can’t fight those birds anymore! They’ll destroy us!”

“The systems are too damaged to land right now without outside help!” Leo shouted.

“Leo, start the landing process.” Annabeth instructed, taking charge. “Percy, I need you to use the water to help guide us in slowly.”

The boat shook again in response and it took all of his willpower not to barf all over the deck. He could barely stand, his head feeling as though it was about to explode.

Suddenly they began a steep decent right towards the water. Percy’s vision doubled and spun, his legs turning to jello as a sideways gravity held him to the deck. Concerned yelling met his ears but the pain drowned it all out. He cradled his head in his hands, willing the pain away, his eyes shut tightly.

He could feel the ship level itself out, but that only caused everything to spin more. His stomach rolled again as the voices got closer. Pressure built against the back of his throat.

Percy fought against the pain, pulling himself up onto his hands and knees, limbs feeling like lead. He felt a hand hover over his shoulder, a female sounding voice meeting his ears, but he couldn’t understand any of the words.

He got up onto his feet and stumbled a few steps before his body betrayed him. He coughed wetly once, before heaving his lunch onto the deck. His limbs liquified again, sending him tumbling towards the ground, strong arms catching him before he could faceplant in his own vomit.

Once he was finally done heaving, the person with the strong arms picked him up. Percy’s head throbbed and spun from the movement. Then everything was black.


	2. Annabeth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For being a child of Athena, she could be incredibly stupid at times. She had known something was wrong with Percy, he’s a terrible liar. But then the strix came, and she completely forgot all about her suspicions.

For being a child of Athena, she could be incredibly stupid at times. She had known something was wrong with Percy, he’s a terrible liar. But then the strix came, and she completely forgot all about her suspicions.

The strix are birds from the myths that feed on human flesh and blood, making them the perfect birds for Gaia to send after a flying ship of half-bloods.

They had destroyed several of the oars which kept us afloat in the air, making the Argo II very unstable.

Jason and Frank, who had turned into an eagle, had gone out to try to lure away the strix while Leo and Annabeth tried to fix the damaged systems. But Leo was a bit of a control freak and wouldn’t let Annabeth touch anything.

She watched as Piper yelled to the strix, attempting to charmspeak them to no avail. Annabeth felt a pang of sympathy for Hazel, who was sitting against the side of the ship cradling her stomach. She was taking deep breaths, her skin tinged green.

 “Leo, we need to get in the water _now_!” Jason yelled, landing back on deck. The ship tipped menacingly, as if it was agreeing.

“Kinda busy at the moment!” Leo yelled, dodging around Annabeth as he tried to repair some of the systems.

Frank landed on the deck and transformed back into himself. “We can’t fight those birds anymore! They’ll destroy us!”

“The systems are too damaged to land right now without outside help!” Leo shouted.

Annabeth looked around and surveyed her options. “Leo, start the landing process. Percy, I need you to use the water to help guide us in slowly.”

Leo nodded and ran off, the boat tipping menacingly again. The ship took a steep downward dive as the landing process began. Annabeth waited for the water to help level them out, but nothing happened.

“Percy now!” Annabeth screeched, turning to look at her boyfriend. She was about to yell at him again when she took in just how bad he looked. His deep green eyes were glazed over, his jaw set in a way that radiated pain. He was holding onto the railing for dear life, his whole body shaking from the effort.

Then she watched as he collapsed into a pile of limbs, a cut-off sounding sob escaping his lips as he held his head in his hands.

“Oh, my Gods!”

“Holy Hera!”

“Percy!”

Everyone’s voices blended together in Annabeth’s head as she rushed forward.

“Jason! Do something!” Piper instructed.

Jason jumped off the ship and used the air to slow its decent and straighten it out in the water. He landed back on the deck and joined the semi-circle that had formed around Percy.

“Percy can you hear me?” Annabeth whispered, not wanting to cause him more pain than he’s already in.

He didn’t move at all. Annabeth glanced warily at the others. Then Percy got onto his hands and knees shakily.

“Woah, Percy where are you going?” Annabeth asked, her hand hovering over his shoulder.

He didn’t acknowledge her question at all, instead getting onto his feet, swaying unsteadily. He stumbled a few steps towards Frank before vomiting nosily all over the deck. Percy fell forward, Frank catching him, saving him from a face full of vomit.

Seeing Percy’s vomit sent Hazel over the edge as she dashed to the side of the ship, Piper trailing behind her comfortingly. Leo, for perhaps the first time in his life, was speechless, as he and Jason stared at Percy in shock.

Annabeth stood next to Frank, unsure of what to do. When it seemed like Percy was finally done throwing up Frank picked him up and carried him below deck. Annabeth watched worriedly as Percy went limp in Frank’s arms.

Annabeth and Frank made their way down to Percy’s cabin. Frank set Percy on his bed, then stood awkwardly as Annabeth sat next to Percy and stroked his hair.

“Do you want to be alone or…” Frank stuttered.

Despite how scared she was, Annabeth smiled. Frank always got embarrassed when her interrupted a moment between her and Percy.

“Could you make sure Leo doesn’t flip over the fact that there’s puke all over the deck of his ship?” Annabeth asked.

Frank nodded and exited, leaving Annabeth alone with Percy.

They stayed that way for a few hours, Percy dead asleep as Annabeth sat next to him playing with his hair.

After a while Percy woke up. “Annabeth?” He mumbled, peering up at her face through squinted eyelids.

“How are you feeling?” Annabeth asked.

“Not good.” Percy mumbled.

“Do you know what happened?” Annabeth asked.

“I think the stress finally caught up to me, caused a migraine. Used to get them a lot.” Percy said quietly.

Annabeth nodded. She had been thinking about what had happened to him for the past couple of hours and that was the conclusion she had come to as well. It only made sense, between finding the Athena Parthenos, Tartarus, and the whole Doors of Death thing, they hadn’t had time to relax until now. All of the stress and worry hit Percy all at once.

“How are you feeling?” Percy asked.

The question hit Annabeth off guard. “Me? I’m not the one that just collapsed, vomited all over the deck and passed out.”

Percy winced at her tone and Annabeth immediately softened and apologized.

“I meant with the stress.” Percy explained, looking up at her with pain filled eyes.

“Nightmares.” Annabeth admitted.

Percy nodded and yawned. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them again. “Lie down.”

“What?” Annabeth asked confused.

“I need to know you’re here.” Percy said, his voice barely a whisper.

Annabeth laid down next to him and Percy wrapped his arms around her, falling asleep almost immediately. Annabeth smiled and imagined Coach Hedge’s reaction if he found them like this, falling asleep herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments give me life!  
> Check out my tumblr @ groot-is-god.tumblr.com


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